Green Monkey Records / Artist
The Life
The Life were named best new Northwest band in 1987, based on their live performances and their debut album Alone. They were not grunge. They were 100% Seattle rock. Great songs. Great singer. Freakazoid monster guitar player. Great band.
This release features the entire 10 song Alone album remastered by GMR guru Tom Dyer. Sounds ridiculously fresh! It also features an entire second bonus disc, Witness The Will, containing 17 songs recorded for their unreleased second album shortly before they stepped off the precipice into history.
The Life was: Jimm McIver – Vocal and Guitar; Tony Bortko (R.I.P.) – The Guitar; Casey Allen – Bass; Eric Lichter – Drums
Alone (deluxe edition)
Freedom Is… (Official Music Video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuzYzs4qURA The Dead [Live 1989] http://youtu.be/yT1akBDs2yY Madame La Guillotine (Live 1989) http://youtu.be/pA-HfnY0FDc When I think back on making the record, a series of images flash through my mind. I remember Eric in the control room with me, tapping on the stool as he was listening to playback. I remember Casey laying down bass tracks as if making a record was something he did every day. I remember watching Jimm through the glass as he was cutting vocal tracks, intense concentration etched in his face. I remember waking up on the studio floor after pulling an all-nighter and being too tired to make it home. I remember stumbling out of the studio into a half-light, half-dark world and literally not knowing whether it was dawn or dusk. We worked hard. I did a lot of records in those days. When I listen back to this one, I want to point my thumb back at my chest and say, “I helped.” I’m proud of this record. And not in a “We managed to do a pretty good job for a basement 8-track studio” way. It’s more of a “This is a damn good rock record” way. And the record holds up after all these years. But I was just helping put on the final touches. It was Eric, Jimm, Casey and Tony that were The Life. And of course, their songs. And for a brief time, I was part of the team. We were brothers with a common goal. Yeah, even you, Tony. Thanks guys, for allowing me to be a part of it, I was, and continue to be honored. And thanks, T.D., for making it all happen. Keith Livingston
- If It Works (don’t fix it)
- Another Side Of Life
- The Tunnel
- Love By The Wayside
- In A Storm
- Here We Are Again
- If I Had You (For Natalie)
- One Day
- I Can’t Wait That Long
- Alone
- Bridge of Bones
- Down
- Broken Man
- The Dead
- Gold
- The Empty Space
- Madame La Guillotine
- Come to Call
- Four Suns in the Sky
- Why
- The Distance
- Do It Again
- Dancing Brave
- Wax and Blood
- Jenny
- The Careful Night, The Hollow Nest
- Freedom Is
Tracks 1 – 10 the original Alone album (1987)
Tracks 11 – 27 Witness the Will album (1990) previously unreleased except tracks 13 & 22 released as Green Monkey single
The Life:
Casey Allen: Electric bass and background vocals
Tony Bortko: The Guitar, keys on I Can’t Wait That Long
Eric Lichter: Kit drums and percussion, keys on Love By The Wayside
Jimm McIver: Vocal and rhythm guitar
Flute on The Tunnel: Kathy Frank, Bodhran on Down: Joe Martin
Alone produced by Keith Livingston
Recorded and mixed at TDS Productions by Keith Livingston in 1987
If It Works (don’t fix it) mixed by Tom Dyer & Keith Livingston
Mastered by Mark Guenther at Seattle Disc Mastering 2006
Final Mastering by Tom Dyer at TDS Productions 2011
Witness The Will produced by Tom Dyer and Michael Lord
Engineered and mixed by Michael Lord at Michael Lord Productions in 1989 or so.
Mastered by Tom Dyer at TDS Productions 2011
Front cover photo: Saulius Pempe
Front cover concept: Saulius Pempe and The Life
Corner photos by Howie Wahlen. Ditto Tavern photos – unknown.
Cover design by Carlton IV.
All Songs by The Life. All songs (p) & © Half The World Publishing
